Description
A comforting Italian soup featuring delicate pastina and hearty broth, perfect for chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup pastina (tiny pasta shapes like star or acini di pepe)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Optional: Grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional: Beef or turkey bacon
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil, then toss in the chopped onion, diced carrots, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and add the bay leaf. Increase heat to bring to a gentle boil.
- Add the pastina and lower heat to a simmer. Cook until the pasta is tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the bay leaf, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve hot with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and skip the cheese. You can also omit pastina for a low-carb option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 5mg